Perhaps the unusual class with which Rivers handled his nine years with the Celtics prompted fans to return the favor. Or, as a coach who was traded for a first-round draft pick, Rivers gets a pass on some of the venom directed at players who abandon Boston for a rival. And it helps that the Celtics are in first place in their division even without him. Whatever the reason, it was a fitting welcome, and the team and fans deserve praise for showing that even in sports-crazed Boston, bearing grudges has its limits.